1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ink supply apparatus.
2. Related Art
Ink supply apparatuses are mounted into printers and supply ink to the printers. An ink cartridge which is configured so as to be able to be attached and detached with regard to the printer is known as an example of an ink supply apparatus. The ink cartridge is provided with an ink storage section which stores ink and the ink cartridge supplies the ink from the ink storage section to the printer in a state of being mounted into the printer. In a case of a low ink remaining state where the remaining amount of the ink in the ink storage section is a predetermined amount or less, the ink cartridge is replaced with a new ink cartridge by the user.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-273173 describes detecting the low ink remaining amount state of the ink in the ink cartridge at the printer side by detecting pressure variations in the ink in the ink storage section using a piezoelectric element (a sensor) which is mounted into the ink cartridge. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-155465 describes detecting the low ink remaining amount state of the ink in the ink cartridge at the printer side by an arm, which is linked with the liquid surface of the ink in the ink storage section, being provided in the ink cartridge and the position of the arm being detected using an optical sensor which is provided on the printer side.
An ink supply apparatus which is referred to as a continuous ink supply system (CISS) which is configured to be able to continuously supply the ink and an ink supply apparatus which is configured so as to be able to be refilled (refillable), which are different to ink cartridges which are replaced in a case of having reached the low ink remaining amount state, are also known as other examples of the ink supply apparatus. An ink filling port which receives filling of ink is provided in such ink supply apparatuses.